Are you tired of having to crawl on your hands and knees to access the toiletries under the bathroom sink? The struggle is real, especially for the items way at the back.

After one too many times this ole gal finally did something about it and built a DIY bathroom vanity sliding shelf. I don't know what took me so long because it isn't a difficult build and I'll show you how.

How To Build An Under-Sink Pull Out Shelf

Now everything is organized and accessible with just one pull and even my Friar Friar Pants On Fire OPI nail polish has a home. But this under-sink sliding shelf idea isn't just for the bathroom, it would be perfect in the kitchen, pantry, and laundry room too.

Pictured below was my feeble attempt at keeping the vanity organized before.

Using a dollar store paper towel holder for storing extra TP is very handy and so is using PVC pipe for holding the blow dryer and flat iron too.

But the stackable plastic drawers for organizing toiletries were not functional at all. For one, it was a pain having to open drawers to see what was inside. Second, there wasn't enough clearance under the plumbing pipes to stack them.

But what was most annoying was that because they weren't as deep as the vanity, they slid around when you opened the drawer.

The motivation for building the bathroom slide-out shelf was the theme for the Power Tool Challenge this month being home improvement.

If you haven't heard of the Power Tool Challenge, we are a group of tool-savvy female DIY bloggers who come together each month to empower our female readers to step out of their comfort zone and build simple projects using power tools.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to build the under-sink pull-out shelf, almost all of the DIY projects shared here at Interior Frugalista have step-by-step tutorials so why not get your budget DIY on and subscribe. You can also follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Here's What You'll Need To Make It

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Supply List

White Melamine Particle Board
2" x 2" Lumber
Side Mount Drawer Slides
White Melamine Pre-glued Veneer Edging
1 1/4-inch Particle Board Screws
1-inch Wood Screws

Tool List

Table Saw
Mitre Saw
Power Drill
1/4-inch Counter Sink Drill Bit
1/16-inch Pilot Hole Drill Bit
Robertson Drill Bit
Corner Clamps
Retractable Knife
Heat Gun

Instructions For Building A Pull-Out Shelf

Step 1 - Cutting The Shelf Boards

The first task is cutting the white melamine particle board for the base and sides of the sliding shelf. The measurements below are based on a 36-inch size bathroom vanity with an inside width of 22 1/2 inches.

Measurements:

Base: 20 1/4" x 19 1/4"
Sides: 6 pieces measuring 4/12" x 24"

Pictured below is the shelf base cut with a table saw but you could cut it with a circular saw with a guide rail too. Otherwise, your local home improvement store may cut the sheet of melamine to size for you.

It's up to you how you want to configure the cubbies and how many dividers you would prefer. The instructions below are based on two vertical dividers and three cubbies.

Step 2 - Cutting The Rails

You can use a miter saw to trim the front and back pieces to 17 3/4-inches long. Trim two more pieces 20-inches long for the side rails. Keep the offcuts because we'll be using them later to make cubby dividers.

Step 3 - Side Rail Pilot Holes

Use a corner clamp to hold the base and one side piece together and flip them upside down. Drill pilot holes for the screws with a 1/16-inch pilot drill bit along the bottom of the base (pictured below).

Step 4 - Countersink Screws

Countersink the pilot holes you just made with a countersink drill bit. You don't want to skip this step because it will prevent the screws from catching on the base of the vanity and slider hardware.

Step 5 - Side Rail Installation

With #8 1 1/4-inch particle board screws and a Robertson drill bit, attach the sides to the base followed by the front and back pieces.

Step 6 - Cubby Measurements

• Measure the width of the inside of the box.
• Trim another of the 24-inch melamine pieces to that measurement (mine is 17 3/4-inches).
• Divide the board into three and draw a line (my middle cubby is narrower than the other two).
• Repeat Steps 3-5 above on each pencil line mark (pictured below).

Step 7 - Cubby Divider Installation

Remember those off-cuts I mentioned earlier, use the two pieces that measure 4-inches. Line them up on the marks you made in the previous step and screw them in place. We'll address the two screws sticking up (pictured below) in the next step.

Step 8 - Middle Divider Installation

• Going back to the previous picture, mark the center point of the middle cubby.
• Repeat Steps 3-5 on the mark you drew and drill the screws in partially (as pictured above).
• Cut the last piece of 20-inch melamine to 14-inches as this will become the middle divider.
• Line up the middle divider with your screws and attach the board.
• Insert the divider inside the drawer (pictured below).
• Attach the insert on the outer side of the shelf with a screw on the top and bottom.
• Remember to follow Steps 3-5 first before screwing it all together.

Step 9 - How To Cover Raw Edges

Time to hide the ugly particle board along the edges with white melamine pre-glued veneer edging.

With a sharp retractable knife, cut strips of the edging to fit each piece. With a heat gun (or iron), adhere the strips to the particleboard. Let the strip cool a little and with your finger feel where there may not have been a good bond and repeat the process.

Step 10 - Drawer Slider Mechanism Installation

• Remember we are using side mount drawer slides. 
• The sliding mechanism will be mounted on the bottom of each side of the drawer (as pictured below).
• Make sure to place the hardware towards the back of the drawer rather than the front.
• With 1-inch wood screws attach them to the drawer (as pictured below).

Step 11 - Sliding Shelf Hardware Installation

• Cut a piece of 2" x 2" lumber to fit both sides of the vanity. These become the spacers for the stationary part of the drawer slides to be mounted onto. They allow the drawer to clear the door hinges (pictured below).
• Attach the stationary part of the drawer slide hardware onto the spacer taking extra care that they are mounted perfectly level on each side.

Slide the drawer onto the stationary slider and you're ready to start organizing!

Here it is again with the drawer extended. I can't tell you how handy this sliding shelf has been in our bathroom. I love it so much I'll be adding pull-out shelves to our kitchen pantry now too.

While I was at it, I also made dividers for the side drawers on the vanity, securing them with screws on the back of the drawer. An alternative would be attaching them with pocket holes.

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today. I hope you were inspired by the handmade sliding shelf. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this DIY under-sink storage idea, I'd be so thankful if you shared it with a friend and pinned it to your Organization Ideas or Home Improvement Project Ideas board on Pinterest.

Please join me to see what the rest of our talented team made for our home improvement challenge by clicking on the links below.

DIY Shutters | Create And Babble
DIY Fireplace Mantel Shelf | Her Tool Belt
Industrial Paper Towel Holder | Virginia Sweet Pea
Blanket Ladder | Refresh Restyle
Cedar Hose Planter | Kim Six Fix
DIY Vanity Sliding Drawer | Interior Frugalista
How To Patch A Hole In Drywall | Designs By Studio C
Wall Mount Staghorn Fern | A Piece Of Rainbow
DIY Painted Stairs Makeover | Thrift Diving
DIY Modern Rustic Mirror | H2OBungalow

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.